Bali volcano leaves thousands of British travellers stranded

A volcanic eruption in Bali has resulted in the closure of Ngurah Rai International Airport, leaving thousands of British travellers stranded.

Mount Agung started erupting last week, creating massive ash clouds around two miles above the summit of the volcano and causing huge problems for airlines.

At least 59,000 travellers have been left stranded, with around 3,000 of those thought to be Brits, while more than 400 flights have been cancelled due to the shutdown at Ngurah Rai (Denpasar) airport.

The Volcano is around 70km away from a number of popular tourist areas, including Seminyak and Kuta, while officials have ordered around 100,000 people to evacuate the immediate area as there are fears of a major eruption.

Despite this, the airport on Lombok Island has reopened and the authorities are in the process of arranging buses to take tourists to terminals to be ferried across.

Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman for Indonesia’s national disaster agency, said the volcanic ash is being drawn towards Bali’s airport by a cyclone in the Indian Ocean.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) recently provided an update to travellers, advising them against travelling within 10km of Mount Agung.

“Volcanic activity may increase in the coming days. If you’re elsewhere in East Bali, continue to follow the advice of the local authorities and keep up to date with our travel advice,” said the FCO.

The Association of British Travel Agents insists that there should only be a relatively small number of UK travellers on the island this year.

“Anyone due to travel to the region imminently should check with their travel provider or airline to establish if their holiday or flight is affected,” said the association.

If you’re thinking of travelling abroad, make sure you are covered against any eventuality by organising your travel insurance in advance